Taking Chances
by Yasminda
Summary: After a difficult case, Elliot and Olivia turn a bad day into a great one. EO pairing. Please review! Rated T just to be safe...and possibly for future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own the SVU characters. I simply write _fiction._**

"Don't stay here too long you guys" Cragen said as he shut the door to his office. His two detectives had had an extraordinarily difficult case and had caught the perp a few hours ago.

The pair looked up but didn't say anything. Neither would admit that the case had bothered them. Neither felt the need to. Their understanding of each other ran deeper than other partners would understand, deeper than the captain would know.

They waved their goodbyes and after the captain left, they returned to their respective paper work. Neither of them noticed the time fly by and when Olivia glanced up at the clock, she silently hoped it was late enough for her eagerness to leave not to appear premature.

"Hey, let's leave this for tomorrow and go for a drink." she suggested.

Without looking up from the file in front of him, Elliot huffed, "I don't know, Liv…"

"Come on, El. We've both had a rough day, but we got the guy that did this. The paperwork can wait 'til tomorrow…let's go. First one's on me." she countered.

Knowing she was right and that she wouldn't give up until he agreed, he sighed, rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hand and closed the file on his desk.

"Yeah…ok." Elliot got up from his chair, turned off the light on his desktop and ushered a waiting Olivia out the door.

"She reminded me so much of Kathleen. If anything like that ever happened to her, I'm afraid of what I'd do to the perp when I caught him."

Since Elliot's divorce, this had become a habit. It was a good one, one that kept them both sane in their line of work. They would go for a drink or for coffee, just sit around at a park or simply take a walk. They would vent any and all feelings bothering them about cases. Solved or unsolved. They would share anecdotes and relive memories of past events or of cases they remembered. It was their time. Presently, they were seated at the bar of one of the local pubs, each with a drink in hand.

Olivia didn't answer his statement immediately. It was silently acknowledged in the look of understanding she gave him.

"I'm scared that I wouldn't stop you." she admitted, almost inaudibly. They both stared at each other, oblivious to the chatter around them, him looking into her chocolate brown eyes, and her looking into his clear blue ones. They both felt the semi-sadness of their admission, after all they were cops…they were supposed to protect the public, not take revenge on them. However the hypothetical situation that had brought on Elliot and Olivia's shared fear made them human again, even if only to each other.

"You should go see your kids Elliot. You need to see them." Olivia said after a while. Elliot considered this but shook his head.

"They're with Kathy tonight and it's almost 1 a.m. There's no chance of me seeing them now…I have a better idea. Let's talk about something else."

"Ok. Like what?" she queried.

"I don't know…something more fun…more optimistic…more…hopeful." he suggested.

"Sounds good. Like what?" she asked again.

"Like uh….like your love life. When was the last time you went on a date Liv?" he teased.

Olivia's eyes went wide momentarily but her surprise at his boldness dissipated when she reminded herself that it was Elliot and not some relative stranger asking the question. She decided to avoid the question since she couldn't even remember the last time she'd been on an actual date. Instead she countered, "You find _my_ love life optimistic and hopeful?" She almost laughed.

Elliot grinned as he looked at her, then his expression turned pensive and one of complete seriousness.

"Yes, Liv, I do. For one simple reason: because it is a daily reminder…concrete proof that there are still beautiful, intelligent, sincere, down to earth women out there who have morals enough not to cheat on their husbands or kill their own kid."

Olivia knew he was referring to Kathy cheating on him and in the same sentence, their last case, where the mother had killed her 14 year old daughter. She didn't know what to say. She sat in her chair, at a loss for words, her mouth slightly agape. Had he just complimented her? He had indeed and it was the greatest compliment she'd ever received. All she could do was smile and blush rapidly. Elliot offered her a sincere corner smile and looked away.

"Ok let's find you a man." he said enthusiastically as he regained his composure and looked around the bar inspectively, simultaneously changing the subject.

"You've got to be kidding me." Olivia rolled her eyes.

"Not at all! Hmm…how about the lonely guy at the table in the corner?"

She looked over and as her glance settled on the man in question, her head whipped back toward her partner to scold him with a simple look.

"Never." She retorted quickly. At Elliot's questioning eyes, she continued, "For many reasons: One, he's drunk at a bar, drinking alone, which is a) unhealthy and b) indicative of some deeper issues or baggage if you will. Two, he looks like too many of the perps we face daily and three, he's in desperate need of a shower. Indication that he doesn't really care for his appearance, he's not looking to 'score' tonight _or_ that his total lack of hygienic skills are slowly becoming his demise."

Elliot chuckled at her explanation and said, "Ok, ok. I'll be nice. What about the tall guy by the pool table? Seems fit and I can't smell him from here so he should be good on the hygiene scale…" he continued to laugh.

"I'm glad my situation amuses you, Elliot. And also that you entertain the fact that you think you know what's best for me."

"I do." He winked at her. "But you have to work with me here…"

Sighing, she decided to humor him for the time being. "Ok. Fine." She looked around the bar, subtly assessing the men's potential. Then an idea hit her.

"Ok, I think I've got one. How about the man sitting at the bar? He's fit, attractive…there's a woman with him but I'm not sure if they're together." Elliot's head snapped around so quickly to scan the bar that Olivia had to muffle a laugh. _I guess he didn't really think I'd play along…or is that a tinge of jealousy?_ she thought.

"Liv there are about a dozen guys sitting at the bar. Do you think you can be a little more specific?" He asked, his eyes still skimming his competition around the semi-circle. Elliot didn't even hear Olivia stand from her stool behind him. She decided to find out which theory of hers was in fact the truth: simple surprise at her willingness to participate or sizing up the competition?

"Specifics…" she said to the back of his head. "Yeah…he's the 9th seat from the far wall." She waited until she saw him start counting to continue, "he's sitting in front of the Guinness beer tap." She noticed him shoot a glance at the beer taps lined along the inside of the bar. "He's wearing a blue pin-striped shirt…" She continued quickly rattling off the specifics Elliot had asked for, not letting him complete one thought before adding her next point. It was when she mentioned _his_ blue pin-striped shirt that Elliot looked at the beer taps in front of him and his eyes caught sight of the big identifiable Guinness symbol. Slowly his eyes drifted her way and came to rest on hers. Noticing how close she now stood to him, it took no time for his hands to find their way to her waist.

Sub-consciously, he saw her breath catch. Nothing around them existed anymore. He pulled her toward him to close the remaining distance between them and pressed his lips against hers. She responded immediately, her hands finding his shoulders and the back of his head. Elliot released the passion he'd been harboring for the past six years and heard her moan her agreement. He licked at her bottom lip and she granted him access to her mouth, entwining her tongue with his. His hands slipped up her back and one hand tangled in her hair, demanding…everything. Olivia had to fight the urge to let go. She reluctantly pulled away, pressing her hands on his chest to emphasize her point. As he looked longingly at her, she glanced quickly around the room. Her silent message instantly registered in his mind – they were still at the bar.

Elliot pulled out his wallet and when she did the same, he grabbed her hand and cocked his head to the side. The pleading look was enough for her to allow him to treat her. Once their drinks were paid for, they exited the pub. Three taxis lined the sidewalk and they made their way toward one of them. Ever so silently, Elliot opened the cab's back door for her.

Olivia watched Elliot open her door for her. She looked into the empty cab and turned back toward her partner, who still had his arm around her waist. All she could do was smile at him, not having an inkling of thought of what to say at that moment. What did that kiss mean? Was this the start of something? Did she want it to be the start of something? Her mind was racing and at that moment he leaned in to kiss her again. This time it lacked the ferocity and passion the kiss held earlier but when they finally parted, it was replaced by love. It was unmistakable. How had they never seen it before now in each other's eyes?

"Goodnight Liv." he whispered.

"Goodnight, El." She responded and climbed in the backseat of the waiting taxi.

Elliot got into the second cab and saw Olivia's slowly leave the curb. _What a night_ he thought. The day had started off at one extreme of the emotional scale and ended up in the total opposite extreme. Elliot was all smiles as he was still coming to terms with what had just transpired when, all of a sudden, the brake lights lit up on the cab in front of him. They hadn't gotten 15 feet from the pub's front doors…_did she forget something inside?_ He saw her exit her cab quickly and he asked the driver to wait as he got out of his own cab. Still standing with the door open, he asked, "Everything ok Liv?"

She didn't head back to the bar. She ran over to him and when she got to within 6 inches of him she stopped abruptly. He placed his hands on her upper arms, a questioning look in his eyes. She didn't answer his question. She simply took a step sideways and sat down in the backseat of _his_ cab. She looked up at him expectantly and with a small smile, he took his place next to her on the back seat and gave the driver his address in Queens.

**Please review! Let me know where you think I should take the next chapter...I'll need ideas to continue.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: THANK YOU so much to all those who reviewed…I think I may just have satisfied your ideas for this chapter…let me know.**

**In this chapter, and those to follow, _italics_ mean it's a flashback…and anything between stars are the character's thoughts.**

They were lying in bed, in each other's arms, seeking solace, seeking comfort. Elliot couldn't shake the feeling he had gotten when they had first seen the victim.

"I couldn't see past it Liv. There were just too many coincidences; Allie _was_ Kathleen in my mind." Elliot shuddered, recalling the sight.

**Flashback**

_A fourteen year old girl, had been sexually assaulted with a foreign object and killed. Allie Montgomery (the victim) was a normal, active girl that had recently started putting on makeup and talking to boys. Any possible explanation as to why she became some psychopath's victim escaped the two detectives and until the killer's actual confession, they remained dumbfounded. _

_The crime scene itself was horrific; there was blood everywhere. The killer, who later turned out to be the victim's mother, had used a butcher knife to slice the innocent girl's throat but only after having molested her with a broom handle. That wasn't the difficult part; although gruesome, the detectives had seen this kind of case before. What had upset them, particularly Elliot, was the fact that the little girl held an uncanny resemblance to his own daughter. They were roughly the same age, had the same color hair and the same build. When Olivia noticed the resemblance, her gaze raised to meet Elliot's. His mouth had dropped open and he looked like he'd had the wind knocked out of him. He shut his mouth, a slow frown forming on his face and Olivia knew he was trying to hide his sudden surge of emotion. She knew he needed to speak to his daughter…now. She gave him an almost imperceptible nod and watched him exit the building, assuming he was going to call her. _

_Even when he'd hung up with Kathleen he didn't feel any better. Despite the strain on their emotions they'd closed the case and none too early. Huang had interviewed the mother and had labeled her with a severe schizo-typoid personality. She had argued that her daughter had started 'acting like a slut around boys. She asked for the treatment she got', the mother spat out. Mrs. Montgomery further continued ranting that Allie had always been a troublemaker and was convinced that her daughter was possessed. _

Elliot left the interrogation room at this moment. He'd had enough. Olivia later found him in the crib, sitting on one of the beds, his head in his hands.

"_El,…" she started but stopped when he looked up at her, his eyes red with unshed tears._

"Oh, El…"she continued and sat next to him on the bed, placing an arm around his back. When his head fell back into his hands, Olivia laid her head on his shoulder and let him weep silently.

**End Flashback**

"I know, they _looked_ alike but that's where the resemblance stops. Kathleen will not end up like Allie. El, it's impossible. Allie's mother is a monster…you and Kathy both love Kathleen _and _your other kids. They're very lucky." She tried to reassure him.

Elliot smiled down at her and kissed her temple. They lay there for another couple minutes fully intending to enjoy their day off.

After a few moments Olivia finally broke the silence, "El?"

"Hmm?"

She hesitated, obviously battling her inner demons. Elliot opened his eyes and looked at her intently, waiting for her to continue. "El, I…I'm in love with you. I never thought I would be able to tell you this…but now, ever since you got a divorce…I…I have loved you for a long time I just never acted on…" Elliot pressed his lips to hers, successfully stopping her rambling. She responded in kind, quickly deepening the kiss and running her hands over his bare chest. The sensation was still so new that it sent shivers through her body. Their exploration of each other was cut short by the rudely loud ringing of his cell phone. Elliot grunted his displeasure and answered.

"Stabler…ok…yeah I'll be right there. No. I'll call Olivia myself." Olivia smirked, noting that he avoided telling the caller he was in her presence. Elliot returned the smile and said, "That was the captain, looks like we don't get a day off after all."

"I don't really care, either way I get to spend it with you." Olivia said happily as they got out of bed and got dressed.

At the crime scene 

"Young kid, age 9. Missing for approximately 26 hours now, mother last saw her yesterday morning when the girl left for school. Vic's name is Jennifer Larose."

"Where is the mother?" Olivia asked the uniform and he pointed to a slim brunette seated on the couch. Elliot's eyes squinted in recognition.

"Melissa?" He called. Her head snapped up and Elliot's eyes went wide. He crossed the living room in three steps and sat down next to the woman.

"Elliot…what…" she gave up trying to explain herself and collapsed in his arms sobbing. Elliot held her tightly, stroking her hair while whispering comforting words. Olivia just looked on in shock. _Her_ partner, the man she had just told she loved was holding, no…caressing another woman. She felt a familiar sting in her eyes and even a seemingly physical pain in her chest. Eventually she snapped out of it and asked in the softest voice she could muster, "Mrs. Larose, do you mind if we ask you some questions?"

The woman looked up at her as if she were a giant bug, and then looked back at Elliot confused. Elliot shook his head quickly, pursed his lips and said, "Mel, I'm so sorry to do this to you now but time is crucial in these circumstances. The more information we get, the faster we can find Jennifer." He soothed. At Elliot's comment, she got up from the couch, nodding her head wearily but instead of making it to her feet, she passed out and toppled backwards into Elliot's arms, who was standing up with her.

"Melissa! Call the medics back up here!" He gave Olivia a stern glare, while cradling the other woman. "Why did you ask her that!" Elliot growled taking Olivia by surprise.

"What? Why did I ask her if I could ask her some questions? That's our JOB Elliot!" she snapped back.

"You didn't have to ask her that NOW! Be a little more compassionate! For god sakes, Olivia!" Olivia was completely taken aback. First of all Elliot rarely used her full name anymore (they were too close for that) and secondly, he had _never_ snapped at her like he just did. Who was this woman to him? How did they know each other? Olivia courageously decided to ask him.

"Elliot," she started in a stern voice, deciding to return the usage of his full name, "who is this woman?"

"The victim's mother." He said flatly as the paramedics lifted her onto a gurney and wheeled her out the door, the two detectives in tow.

"Elliot you know what I mean. Who is this woman to you?" She redundantly repeated, more cautiously this time. She had never seen such an instant and violent mood swing in her partner; especially not directed at her. Elliot walked passed Olivia, not returning her stare.

"I'm going to the hospital with her. I'll see you back at the precinct." He said cooly.

"Elliot!" Olivia shouted.

He looked back at her before the medic closed the ambulance doors and said, "She's my ex-fiancee."

**I already have a ton of ideas for the next chapter…all I have to do is write it now. R&R!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Ok…brace yourselves. This is a little angsty, sad chapter. But I PROMISE, the next one will be HAPPY and it WILL be up soon.**

"_She's my ex-fiancee."_

It seemed like an eternity until Olivia could close her mouth and start processing what she'd just heard. Elliot had just rushed off to the hospital with his _ex-fiancee_…one she'd never even known about. She thought she knew Elliot well, she even knew him better than she knew herself, and then something this big came to light…Olivia was hurt. She'd never admit it to him but he'd hurt her like all the previous guys in her life had. She never would have imagined that Elliot would be like all the other guys.

_God! What's wrong with me? Have I not learned my lesson? Why did I let him in? I was fine…I was doing fine before him...I thought he was different, but the moment I tell him I love him…oh god! I told him I loved him…and he didn't say it back. _she thought sadly. Her mind reeled with thoughts and feelings and she couldn't seem to catch up. The only thing she did know for sure is that she didn't want to cry in front of all these people. She didn't want to cry over a guy…again; even if it was Elliot. Feeling the tears well up in her eyes, she ran to her car and sat in the driver's seat, trying futilely to calm down. After a few minutes, she decided to leave and let CSU do their jobs and since there was nothing more she could do here, she left, heading the car toward the precinct.

20 minutes later, Olivia pulled the car into the precinct parking lot. She hardly realized she had arrived, too lost in her own thoughts to recognize that she'd made it to her destination. She just sat there, staring out the windshield at the wall in front of her. She'd never felt like this. The other men were just that; other men. She hadn't felt for them the way she felt about Elliot and now she'd been burned. At this thought, she felt the familiar fire of anger in the pit of her stomach. She was angry at herself for letting herself get fooled again, but mostly she was angry at Elliot. He was supposed to be her partner, her friend. He was supposed to be there for her, to watch out for her. A little voice inside her was yelling that he _had_ been there for her, that he _always_ watched out for her and that what she _thought_ was going on, was actually a big misunderstanding. That voice had helped her in many circumstances, but Olivia didn't trust it anymore. She was realizing that it was also the culprit in helping her fool herself into believing that Elliot was _the one_. _Because he's very obviously NOT the one._

At that moment, she subconsciously decided to run. It's what she had always done to save herself the heartache; her heart would shut down, letting her mind pick up the slack. And her mind was furious. There was only one thing to do. She wiped her eyes and walked in.

"Hey Olivia! Where's Elliot?" Fin asked, obviously unaware of the current situation. He was about to be rudely brought up to date. Olivia didn't say anything. She didn't even stop walking. But what she _did_ do was shoot the detective a look so full of scorn and fury that it would have any grown man running for cover.

"Whoa…ok, ok." he said, holding his hands up defensively. Then he muttered to Munch, "Wonder what happened there…what's your take?"

John looked up from his computer screen at the retreating woman, "lover's spat…" he tempted. Olivia didn't hear their theories; she'd already disappeared into the washroom.

"Think we should call Elliot and ask?" Munch asked his partner.

"Probably should leave it alone…" he said as they caught each other's eyes, and Fin reached for the phone. Elliot answered on the second ring.

"Elliot, man, where are you?...The hospital? …oh…what happened between you and Olivia?...What do you mean nothing?...she stormed in here like Hurricane Benson on a bad day and gave us the Ice Queen glare!...Ok, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…but she's royally pissed, and if my assumptions are correct man, she's mad at _you_." Munch listened to the one sided conversation intently, trying to figure out what Elliot was saying.

"So what happened?…What? Your ex-fiancee?...That's bad….You and Liv aren't uh…you know…are you? Oh…then you ran to what's-her-name? That's really bad, man…"

Donald Cragen sat in his office, staring out the open door, his thoughts on the current case. He hardly noticed Olivia stomp passed his office. _Ooh, she looks angry. Mental note: stay out of her way today. I wonder what happened._ he thought. As it turns out he wouldn't have to wonder much longer as he heard Detective Tutuola call Elliot. All he needed was half the conversation to figure out why Olivia was so angry. Only that wasn't it. She wasn't angry, that was a cover-up. She was hurt. _So much for staying out of her way…_ he thought. Nothing could stop him from trying to comfort the woman he saw as his 'daughter'. He got up and walked out of his office as Fin was hanging up the phone. They made eye contact and Fin shrugged sympathetically to his superior. Cragen turned in pursuit of Olivia. Moments later he found her in the crib sitting against the wall between two beds.

"Did you know El was engaged to the vic's mother?" she asked without looking up.

"He's engaged?" Cragen asked, surprised and now suddenly very angry too.

"No. _Was_ engaged." _Whew!_ His anger subsided somewhat.

"No. I didn't…you ok?"

"I told him I loved him, cap." She responded quietly after a few seconds

"He didn't already know?" he queried which got a small smile from Olivia; although, instead of appeasing the captain, her smile just increased the sadness he felt for her.

"No. Not officially, I guess."

"Oh."

"I can't stay here like this…" A tear escaped as she shut her eyes tightly.

"Do you want to lay down for a while…or you can take the rest of the day off…go home…." He offered.

"No. That's not what I mean." She sniffed and looked up wearily at the best substitute father she could ask for. Don could then see how deep the hurt ran.

"What _do _you mean?" he asked, fearing the answer.

"I'm asking for a transfer to another force…I'm sorry. I hope you understand." She said and a few tears stained her cheeks on the way down as she put her hand gently on his forearm.

"Are you sure?" he asked and she nodded solemnly.

"I'll make some phone calls."

Elliot sat beside Melissa's bed, holding her hand in his and resting his head on them. How could this have happened? Why did stuff like this keep happening to Melissa? She'd been through so much already…_I don't get it…it never stops…Please, Mel. You've got to pull through this. We'll find Jen, I promise _Elliot looked up at the woman he had once saved…hoping to god he could do the same for her daughter.

His mind wandered to the day's events. Olivia had told him she loved him. _Olivia_ loved _him_. He had been so happy at that moment, he had loved her for so long and now they were together…Then the phone rang and they'd gotten to the crime scene and found Melissa. Thinking back on his exchange with Olivia, he realized he'd been a little harsh with her. Actually he'd been horrible to her. Why did he yell at her like that? Because he's the kind of person to deal with one thing at a time and at that moment he was dealing with Melissa. Because it was someone he knew, someone he cared about, he wasn't being objective and he'd snapped at Olivia. Not that that was an excuse…he'd screwed up…bad.

_I can't believe I shut her down like that. She told me she loved me and I treat her like that! I'm such an idiot! She's perfect…she could even be …the one, and I go and treat her like I that! I have to find her, NOW. I have to apologize…tell her how much I love her…_ his thoughts were interrupted by his ringing cell phone.

"Stabler"

"Elliot, man where are you?"

"I'm at the hospital, why?"

"The hospital?"

"I'm with the victim's mother"

"Oh…what happened between you and Olivia?"

"Nothing, Fin" he replied, hoping the detective would buy it.

"What do you mean nothing?"

"Just that. Nothing. Why? What did she tell you?"

"She stormed in here like Hurricane Benson on a bad day and gave us the Ice Queen glare!"

"Don't talk about her like that Fin!" Elliot warned.

"Ok, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…but she's royally pissed, and if my assumptions are correct man, she's mad at _you_." Elliot's eyes went wide. Damn. He knew exactly why she was mad and he totally agreed. She had every right to be upset. He had to talk to her. Elliot was about to hang up when Fin continued.

"So what happened?"

Reluctantly, Elliot answered. "The victim's mother is my ex-fiancee."

"…What? Your ex-fiancee? Since when?"

"Never mind that. When I recognized her, I gave her a hug and she started crying again, so I held her…then I came to the hospital with her…I might have overreacted, I yelled at Liv a little."

"That's bad….You and Liv aren't uh …you know…are you?"

Elliot hesitated to answer. He didn't know how much Olivia wanted to tell the team…but under the circumstances, Elliot wasn't in his right mind.

"Yes. We are…as of last night."

"Oh…_then_ you ran to what's-her-name? That's really bad, man…"

"Yeah. I know." Elliot was feeling worse and worse. Talking about this out loud was making it real and it was horrible. He'd put the woman he loved through the worst emotional ordeal. He'd have some big explaining to do, if she let him. If not, this would make things really bad at work…

Fin snapped Elliot out of his musings. "Don't you know how bad she's been hurt?"

"Of course I do."

"Than how could you do this to her? She's in love with you, man! And you go off comforting and caressing another woman? Especially one who's been such a big part of your past?"

"Oh my god." The realization of the gravity of the situation hit Elliot like a freight train.

"Yeah." Fin emphasized.

"I gotta go." He hung up and noticed that during his conversation, Melissa had woken up.

She spoke up first. "You and Olivia are…?"

"Yes."

"Do you love her?" she asked tentatively.

"Yes." He replied simply.

"Does she know that?"

"I never got the chance to tell her…" a tear slipped out through his tough façade.

"Go. Now. Find her, Elliot. Find her and tell her."

Elliot got up and quickly kissed Melissa on the cheek. Then he was out the door.

Olivia's cell phone rang loudly. She looked at it and noticed it was Elliot. _I can't handle this now…_ she thought and put the cell phone back on her belt without answering it. She was sitting at her desk, typing up the resignation letter she never thought she would have to write. She thought she'd spend her career with the guys she now viewed as family.

Her desk phone rang and the little 'line 1' button lit up. She knew it was Elliot. She didn't answer. She couldn't talk to him now; or ever, if she could get away with it. The hurt had already happened. Why subject herself to more? This way, she was already dealing with it and moving on. The phone stopped ringing and she returned to her computer. Her cell phone rang again. Without missing a beat she got up from her desk, walked over to the coffee pot and nonchalantly slipped her cell into the boiling liquid.

Fin and Munch just stared at her as she stepped back to her desk, avoiding eye contact. They knew well enough not to bother her. She'd come around when she was ready.

Once she was done her letter, she hit the print icon and walked to the printer. Picking up the sheet of paper, she walked directly to the captain's office.

"Is she doing what I think she's doing?" Fin asked aloud, to anyone who would answer him.

"I think so. She must be hurtin' something awful if it makes her quit…" John answered the floating question.

Olivia now stood in front of the captain's desk looking him in the eye with her resignation letter clutched in her hands. One tear rolled down her face, then another and soon she was crying openly.

"Olivia…" Don started but she didn't let him finish. She slammed the letter down on his desk and placed her gun and badge with them. Don walked around the desk and Olivia leaned up to kiss him gently on the cheek, then walked out.

Fin and Munch both stood when they saw a red-eyed Olivia step out of the

captain's office, both with worried looks on their faces. This did not help Olivia's current flurry of emotions. She kept crying as she kissed each of them, as she had her 'father'; bidding her 'brothers' goodbye. She scribbled a note and threw it on Elliot's desk. Grabbing her coat out of her locker, she gave the precinct and its occupants one last glance and exited the building.

"Come on, Liv! Answer! Please answer your phone!" he pleaded as he sat anxiously in the back seat of a cab.

"Can't you go any faster?" The driver gave him a sour look through the rear-view mirror and kept his speed. Elliot got an idea. He pulled his badge out of his pocket and flashed it to the driver.

"Look, I'm a cop and I have a situation. If you get pulled over, I'll talk to them…they won't ticket you…please!" The driver mulled this over and silently agreed, nodding his head and picking up the speed. Elliot thanked him and tried Olivia's phone again, to no avail.

When they finally arrived at the station, Elliot threw 50$ at the driver, even though his fare was only 35$...he figured it was a good 'thank you' tip for the speed he'd asked the driver to drive. Elliot took the steps two by two into the house and his eyes immediately scanned the room for Olivia. Fin noticed him first and said, "She's gone, man."

"What?" Elliot panted.

"She quit…she left…she's running again." John added, getting up from his desk.

Elliot looked around, his eyes not seeing anything. His eyes then settled on his desk. It was as he had left it, save one little note. In red ink, the note read 'Goodbye'. It was Olivia's writing. Elliot's face twisted in pain but then determination took over. He couldn't lose her.

"NO! No she's not…not this time! Keys!" he shouted and caught Fin's keys as he threw them. Elliot turned and ran out the door once more. He would head to her apartment. She couldn't very well leave town without grabbing a few things. _I just hope I'm fast enough… don't let me be too late... please Liv don't do this_

"Sure, thanks. The Super can let you in and the faster it can get done without breaking anything, the better. There's nothing really that heavy to move, so it shouldn't take long to pack the truck….Thanks again and I'll see you guys in San Francisco." She hung up the phone. The movers would be there in about an hour and a half. She was surprised to find movers who would do this on such short notice.

Olivia allowed herself a short moment to think about what she was leaving behind, a short farewell of sorts, then picked up her travel bag and locked her apartment door.

Elliot steered the car dangerously around a corner, desperately trying to reach Olivia's apartment before she left. He'd already called her at home, hoping maybe she would answer, but she hadn't. She was really furious with him. Furiously _hurt_. And he had been the one to hurt her.

Finally, he reached her building. Without even bothering to park the car properly, he drove up on the curb and threw the stick in 'park', he jumped out, leaving the door open. He took the front stairs in one bound and pressed the elevator button impatiently – many times. What was taking it so long? He decided to take the stairs. After hurdling seven flights of stairs, Elliot was out of breath but still he ran to her apartment door and banged his fist on the grey paint. No answer.

"Liv!...Olivia, open the door!" he shouted. Still no answer.

He ran back down the stairs to find the super and after only 5 minutes of trying to convince him to let him into her apartment, the super told him that she'd already left for the airport, and that movers were coming to pack her things.

"Airport? Why? Where is she going?"

"Um…don't know. I think she mentioned San Francisco…maybe San Jose…Not sure. San – something." The super replied, trying to be helpful.

"Ok…thank you." And with that, Elliot knew his next destination.

After taking a cab to the airport, Olivia sat in a very uncomfortable chair, flipping through a magazine she had absolutely no interest in and waiting anxiously for her flight to board.

_How could he? Maybe he just doesn't feel the same? Maybe this was just a one time thing for him…maybe he _doesn't_ see a future with me in it as more than partners, like I do with him… _she thought sadly. As much as she tried, Olivia just couldn't get Elliot out of her mind. She could feel the already too familiar prickle of tears behind her eyes. Her mind wasn't taking over her heart like it was supposed to; it just wasn't working this time. Elliot meant too much to her to just get over him like that. But she wouldn't let herself get fooled again…so she kept trying to push thoughts of him out of her mind.

"Liv?" she heard. _Oh god. It's him._ Olivia's head whipped around; anger instinctively taking control of her emotions.

"Get away from me El…_Elliot_." she spit out the last word like it was something disgusting on her tongue.

"Liv, please…" he begged but she interrupted him.

"Don't call me that. You lost that right. You hurt me Stabler."

Elliot winced at hearing his last name. She no longer wanted to use _her_ nickname for him; not even his full first name. _This is not going well._ Elliot thought but continued.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered.

"Sorry! I told you I love you…_loved_ you and you …you were engaged to her…I never knew…I don't even know who you are anymore…" She yelled and had to turn around to avoid him seeing her cry. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction. Elliot didn't miss the use of past tense on the verb 'loved'. He could feel his heart break but couldn't stop trying. He had to explain, he had to try and make her understand…

"Melissa was before Kathy…Liv, please…let me explain…"

"Shut up!" Olivia screamed, glaring at him, eyes barely betraying the hurt and sadness through her bubbling anger.

Overhead, they heard the familiar airport speakers crackle to life. _Attention all passengers for flight 519 to San Francisco, we will begin boarding in 5 minutes._

Olivia got up from her chair, picked up her bag and with a mumbled "Goodbye, Elliot", she stepped past him.

"Liv…" She didn't stop at the sound of her nickname. "Olivia…" Elliot reached out and touched her arm at which she pulled away from him aggressively, a tear finally breaking through her self-built wall. Her lips forming a tight line, she whispered, "Don't touch me! I don't ever want to hear your name again!" and stalked off, leaving a destroyed Elliot behind her.

_Nothing has ever hurt this much_, Elliot thought _Not even the divorce_. What he didn't know was that Olivia was just as broken as him at that moment, but she was determined not to show it until she was out of sight.

Elliot could only watch as the airport staff checked her ticket and she boarded the plane. He slumped into a chair and watched numbly as the remaining passengers happily boarded the plane behind the woman he loved. He almost resented them because he knew he would _never_ be that happy, now that Olivia was no longer in his life.

**A/N: I know, I know…you all hate me for this chapter. But it's a cliff hanger and trust me, there will be some good, happy stuff next chapter. I'm a die-hard EO fan so…no worries everyone. It's just a little angst to get the heart pumping.**

**I promise the next chapter will be up soon...but in the meantime, please let me know what you think about this one!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Ok. Some stuff in here will be similar to chapter 3 stuff…just for timeline, they overlap a bit. Just making sure there were no holes in the story.**

**Thanx a bunch to all the reviewers! **

After talking with captain Cragen, Olivia felt even worse. She thought that knowing she'd be able to go elsewhere and get away from the mess she'd gotten herself into would have helped to alleviate the emotional weight she'd felt on her shoulders…but now she felt as though she was still carrying this weight but was walking on broken glass too. The sadness and hopelessness was almost too much to hide. She'd cried while saying goodbye to her 'family' before she walked out of the station and now she was in her car driving to her apartment for what could very well be the last time.

Captain Cragen had called a friend of his in San Francisco whom he knew was looking for another member in the homicide unit. They'd even found her a small apartment that would have to do until she found herself one on her own. It's not exactly what she'd hoped for but at the last minute like this, she couldn't expect much. At least she had a job and would be able to get over Elliot without having to see and work with him everyday.

Olivia was startled out of her thoughts by the ringing of her cell phone. Sighing she plucked it out of her belt clip to see who it was, not wanting to answer if it turned out to be Elliot…again. Fortunately, she didn't have to avoid him; it was Alex on the line.

"Hi Alex." She answered immediately, knowing the speech she'd be getting for the next few minutes.

"What are you doing? You quit?"

"Yes, Alex, I quit."

"Why? What happened? What are you …"

"Don't even say it. I'm not running. It's just time for a change of scenery, I want to expand the different kinds of experience I get. Homicide will be good for me." She lied, trying to cover up her true motivation for leaving but knowing that her friend would see right through it.

"Is that the story you're sticking to? You know I don't believe you one bit…Where are you right now? Are you on your way home?"

Olivia sighed. "Yes, I should be home in about 10 minutes."

"Ok. I'm on my way."

"What? Why?...Alex…!" Olivia tried to protest, but Alex had already hung up. _Great. Now I have to face the wrath that is Alex in person._

Olivia arrived home, parked her car, walked into her apartment and locked the door behind her. She had to pack a few things quickly and call the airport, the movers…

She picked up the phone and called the airlines first, no sense in doing the rest until she knew she could actually leave today. She was in luck, there was a flight leaving in two and a half hours and they had a few seats left. The lady on the other end of the line proceeded to tell her that because of their last minute deal, the seats were on sale. She took the flight information down and gave the lady her credit card information. She walked to her room and pulled a small travel bag out of her closet and threw in a change of clothes, her personal items and a book to read on the plane. Then she heard the front door buzzer ring. Even before she looked out the peep-hole, she knew it was Alex, but seeing her standing there impatiently with her hands on her hips, made Olivia smile a little. Only Alex had the nerve to face a fuming Olivia and not get her head bitten off.

"Olivia open the door!" She did and faced the perplexed blonde, waiting and ready for a fight.

"What happened?" Alex asked again.

"What makes you think something happened?" Olivia queried.

"Don't play dumb with me Olivia. The guys said that you slammed your resignation, gun and badge down on Cragen's desk, when you left you were crying, and they spoke to Elliot…we know something happened."

Olivia's mouth dropped before she could stop it, but she quickly regained composure. "Who spoke to Elliot?"

"I think it was Fin…why?"

"What did Elliot say?...NO! Never mind that. It doesn't matter! He hurt me Alex. I thought that over anyone else, I could trust him. I told him I loved him, because I felt safe with him…that he would take it for what it is and not be a jerk or an ass about it…but you know what? He never even said it back! Then he ran to that Melissa woman the first chance he got and had a total mood swing. He's never snapped at me before, Alex. And he never will again." She prattled out, determined to see her move through. Nothing was going to stop her from getting to San Francisco.

"Do you know who this woman is, other than his ex-fiancee? Do you know the details? What happened between them? Maybe there's a reason for all this…" Alex tried to convince her friend. "Did you even let him explain?"

"No. He doesn't even know I'm leaving yet. And I'd like to keep it that way until I'm safely on my way." Olivia admitted harshly and bowed her head.

"'Livia, you can't tell me you feel nothing for him anymore. You've loved him for five years…" Olivia's head snapped up and she stared at Alex with wide eyes. "You can't just shut that off." Alex finished.

"I…We never…How…?" Olivia stuttered.

"I know nothing ever happened between you two…until last night it turns out." Alex smirked and kept going. "But you both have been in love with each other for ages and although Munch and Fin might be too dense to pick up on it, a woman can." She concluded, jerking a thumb at herself.

Olivia's anger and determination seemed to falter a bit as she sat on the couch. Alex took a chance and sat next to her.

"I don't know what I'm doing, Alex. I love him and I told him so. Then he ran to another woman. I shouldn't _have_ to let him explain. He hurt me. You know the expression 'Hurt me once, shame on you. Hurt me twice, shame on me.'? Well, I'm not going to give him the chance to hurt me again. I'm leaving. Cap's found me a job in San Francisco so I'll settle in there and start a new life." Her eyes welled up with tears as she continued, "I'll get over Elliot…eventually…and he'll find another partner. Things will be less complicated this way." She got up and trudged over to her room to grab her travel bag.

When she came back out, Alex was standing in the kitchen staring down at the information Olivia had scribbled about her flight.

"You're really doing this?"

"Yes." Olivia whispered. Alex nodded and turned toward the door. Olivia followed her and accepted the hug Alex gave her before leaving. Olivia's eyes misted over when she thought about how much she would miss her friends. She was leaving a lot behind. Friends who had become her family, her apartment, the city she now knew like the back of her hand, the memories…and the man she loved. _The man I love who hurt me._ she reaffirmed.

Picking up the phone, she dialed the number she'd found for the moving company. In their ad, they mentioned that they would pack your things, move them and unpack them at the destination. One less thing Olivia had to worry about.

"Hello, my name is Olivia Benson and I was hoping you would have some guys and a truck available to pack up and move some stuff today…To San Francisco…Really? That's great. My address is 159 Dudley St., apartment 9 and the address over in San Francisco is 27 Miller St., apartment 3. Sure, thanks. The Super can let you in and the faster it can get done without breaking anything, the better. There's nothing really that heavy to move, so it shouldn't take long to pack the truck….Thanks again and I'll see you guys in San Francisco." She hung up and left her apartment for the last time.

Olivia sat in the waiting room, looking around at nothing. Her eyes wouldn't focus on anything; all she could do was think about Elliot. She'd told him once after a especially difficult case that she'd always have his back. And now she was leaving. She'd failed him…_But he failed me first…kind of…sort of…_ She shook her head, demanding the anger and determination come back. It was easier to convince herself to leave when she was angry. Then she heard it.

"Liv?" his voice said softly. _Oh god. It's him._ Olivia's head whipped around; anger instinctively taking control of her emotions.

"Get away from me El…_Elliot_." she spat the words out, deliberately using his full name. She didn't want him to use her nickname and she no longer wanted to use his. It had too much symbolism…too many memories attached to it.

"Liv, please…" he begged. He seemed to almost whimper. _He's hurting too. And I'm involuntarily causing that pain…NO! Don't let him back in!_ she thought to herself and interrupted him.

"Don't call me that. You lost that right. You hurt me Stabler."

"I'm sorry…" he whispered.

"Sorry! I told you I love you…_loved_ you and you …you were engaged to her…I never knew…I don't even know who you are anymore…" She tried to make a coherent sentence but just as jumbled as her thoughts were, her words came out the same. Once again she could feel herself tear up, but refuse to let him see how he'd gotten to her. He continued talking, pleading to her back.

"Melissa was before Kathy…Liv, please…let me explain…"

"Shut up!" Olivia screamed, whirling around and glaring at him. She tried hard to hide the pain behind fury and was secretly relieved that the overhead speakers called her flight boarding right then. _Attention all passengers for flight 519 to San Francisco, we will begin boarding in 5 minutes. _

"Goodbye, Elliot" she said as she stepped past him and walked toward the little desk.

"Liv…" She didn't stop at the sound of her nickname. "Olivia…" Elliot reached out and touched her arm at which she pulled away from him aggressively, a tear finally breaking through her self-built wall. Her lips forming a tight line, she whispered, "Don't touch me! I don't ever want to hear your name again!" and stalked off, leaving a destroyed Elliot behind her.

From a few meters away, Alex watched the scene play out between her two friends. She herself was crying now. She'd heard both sides of the story and had hoped that all would resolve itself quickly…but after having seen this, she wasn't so sure their respective personalities could work it out. Maybe they'd need a little nudge. She smiled a hopeful smile as she looked down at her plane ticket.

"Now all I have to do is get passed Elliot without him seeing me." She said aloud to herself. Not that that would be such a problem, she thought as she saw him staring blankly ahead into nothingness. She walked casually to the desk with her own travel bag in hand. With a quick glance behind her, she noticed Elliot hadn't moved. She boarded the plane.

"Excuse me sir. Would you mind changing seats with me?" Alex said as she addressed the man sitting next to Olivia, giving him her most convincing smile – which, for an ADA, and a beautiful one at that, was easy. The man did not take much convincing.

"Alex, what are you doing here?"

"I'm going to San Francisco with you to help you get settled." She replied mysteriously. Olivia didn't buy it.

"Are you sure you don't have a mischievous plan up your sleeve?"

"Nope! Just a friend being there for another friend." She reassured. "But I am going to try to convince you one more time. I really think you should talk to Elliot and let him…" she stopped talking as Olivia gave her a menacing glare.

"I know you mean well Alex, but I can't. I can't face him." Alex nodded, solemnly. She didn't think it would require much more convincing on her part. She simply thought Olivia needed a little push in the right direction. Alex's plan was to talk to Olivia about the situation, maybe give her a little insight into it all from what Fin had told her of Elliot's side of the story. Then when Elliot came looking for her (which she knew he eventually would), she'd be there to be Olivia's voice of reason.

"Ok then…do you think you could read a letter if he sent you one, or an email?" she suggested. She'd have to tell Elliot to write one but hey, it could work.

"Alex, please. I really don't want to talk about this now. I just want to sleep the whole way there and then find my new place and sleep some more." She emphasized her point by resting her head on the headrest and closing her eyes.

"Ok. Sure. But I'll be here if you want to talk." Alex offered. She was worried about Olivia but didn't want to push too much otherwise she might shut her out too. Alex got comfortable in her seat and pulled out her book. After a few minutes, she came to the decision that trying to read among the noise around her was futile so she put her book down and decided to follow Olivia's lead by tilting her head back. Before she shut her eyes, she noticed Elliot marching up the aisle toward them. _I guess my plan will have to come to fruition earlier than I thought._ she thought.

**A/N: No cliff hanger on this one…the next chapter's already up!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Some of the last chapter and this chapter overlap…so if you notice that Alex and Olivia's conversation on the plane (for instance) is similar to last chapter, it was done purposely...for timeline. Otherwise it just didn't make sense.**

**Hope you like!**

One tear after another rolled down Elliot's cheeks as he looked right through his hands resting in his lap. She was gone. She never wanted to hear his name again…that's what she'd said. Elliot was still sitting in the airport waiting lounge and he couldn't stop thinking about how much he'd hurt her. He hadn't meant to. _God! She knows I would never do anything to purposely hurt her. She _knows _that._

Then a thought crossed his mind. What if what John said was true? She was running again. It's true, it did fit her personality. As soon as Olivia felt things get out of her control, in her personal life, she ran. And this situation would definitely qualify. Elliot wished silently he could tap into Olivia's mind and explain. If she knew the rest of the story…if she heard it from the beginning, she'd know why Elliot had run to Melissa. The fact still remained that Olivia never wanted to see him again…how was he going to get to her to clear up this misunderstanding? Hundreds of ideas sped through Elliot's mind. Maybe he could explain it to John or Fin, or even the captain, then _they_ could relay the message. Surely they would hear them out? No…there was no time for that. _I could give her a week or two…maybe a month, then find her in San Francisco and explain. By then she would have calmed down enough to listen to me…? _Nothing made sense and nothing could give him what he wanted at that moment; Olivia in his arms.

Elliot looked up as the airport staff started to tidy up their little station. His heart sank a little more at that sight; it meant the plane was leaving. That meant Olivia was leaving. Flashes of their life together crossed his mind and he closed his eyes to see images of different cases or evenings they'd spent together talking spark in his mind. He could even see her smile and hear her laugh.

His mind focused on one case where they'd chased two perps into a warehouse and they'd split up to cover more ground. From his side of the warehouse, Elliot had heard a struggle between his partner and the perp she'd been chasing. He had rushed to find her, but before he did, he'd heard Olivia grunt and then a gun shot. When he'd arrived at her side, she was cupping the back of her head with one hand and her other hand was still yielding her gun, with which she'd shot and killed the suspect.

He remembered calling the paramedics and cradling her despite her protests of being 'fine'. He'd promised her then that he'd _never_ leave her. And now that's what he was doing; even if it was at her own request. Elliot sank in his chair at that thought. He'd failed her. Despite his melancholy, Elliot's inner voice still held a glimmer of hope. He heard himself think, _but she's not gone yet_… His head turned toward the window, then the door where she'd disappeared. The staff seemed to be preoccupied listening to the story one of them was rattling on about. Elliot could care less what they were talking about, so long as they didn't look his way. In a split second, he decided to put all his years of stealth detective skills to the test.

"Alex…what are you doing here?" Olivia asked, confused at seeing her friend on board.

"I'm going to San Francisco with you to help you get settled." She replied mysteriously. Olivia didn't buy it.

"Are you sure you don't have a mischievous plan up your sleeve?"

"Nope! Just a friend being there for another friend." She reassured. "But I am going to try to convince you one more time. I really think you should talk to Elliot and let him…" she stopped talking as Olivia gave her a menacing glare.

"I know you mean well Alex, but I can't. I can't face him." Alex nodded, solemnly. She didn't think it would require much more convincing on her part. She simply thought Olivia needed a little push in the right direction. Alex's plan was to talk to Olivia about the situation, maybe give her a little insight into it all from what Fin had told her of Elliot's side of the story. Then when Elliot came looking for her (which she knew he eventually would), she'd be there to be Olivia's voice of reason.

"Ok then…do you think you could read a letter if he sent you one, or an email?" she suggested. She'd have to tell Elliot to write one but hey, it could work.

"Alex, please. I really don't want to talk about this now. I just want to sleep the whole way there and then find my new place and sleep some more." She emphasized her point by resting her head on the headrest and closing her eyes.

"Ok. Sure. But I'll be here if you want to talk." Alex offered. She was worried about Olivia but didn't want to push too much otherwise she might shut her out too.

Elliot scanned the faces quickly and found her sitting in her seat at the back of the plane, her eyes closed and her head leaning back on the headrest. While making his way to her, he tried to think of what he would say. Nothing came to him…and he'd arrived to his destination. He'd made it this far…this is what he wanted, if nothing else, at least a chance to explain. And here he was standing next to her staring at her, he finally had the chance and he couldn't think of what to say. In his frantic mental search for the perfect words that would heal all wounds, he didn't even notice the blond woman sitting next to Olivia.

Alex had gotten comfortable in her seat and had pulled out her book. After a few minutes, she came to the conclusion that trying to read amidst the noise around her was futile so she put her book down and decided to follow Olivia's lead by tilting her head back. Before she shut her eyes, she noticed Elliot marching up the aisle toward them. _I guess my plan will have to come to fruition earlier than I thought._ she thought.

Elliot stood there for a while, looking like a fish out of water. He shut his eyes tightly and when he opened them, his mouth opened too and what came out was, "Olivia, enough of this!" _Where'd that come from?_ he chided himself. _Oh well, can't stop now…_ he thought as he saw Olivia's eyes spring open, first in shock, then suddenly, frustration and soon, anger…again. She opened her mouth to speak but Elliot didn't let her.

"I know what you're doing…" This got her attention. "You're running again. You're running because I hurt you. I know I did and I'm sorry, but I promised you a long time ago that I would never leave you and if I had to sneak on this plane to stay with you and have you let me explain…well I've done it because I'm not letting you go. Please give me a chance, Liv. We've been together for six years, that's got to count for something…I promise you, if you let me clear this up you'll realize that this situation has been blown way out of proportion." He stopped talking and waited for some kind of answer from her. Some sign that she would listen to him if he continued.

Luckily, she replied, "You have 10 minutes."

_Here goes nothing…_ he thought and decided to give her only the necessary details and save the more exhausting explanation for later.

"Ok…When I was seven, Melissa's family moved next door to us. We started walking to school together and pretty soon we became friends. When the school bullies started to pick on her, I stood up for her. When she was 12, I was 13, her mother died and her dad started abusing her, physically and sexually. I didn't know, at first, but a few years later we were up in her room studying for a history test and her dad came in drunk and furious, for some reason. He hit her, Liv, right in front of me and there was nothing I could do about it. Mel made me promise not to tell anyone and being only 16, I did as she asked." Elliot took a slow breath, gathering his thoughts and noticing that Olivia was listening to him. He took that as a good sign and continued.

"When I was 17, she came to me one day and told me she was pregnant and didn't know what to do. When I asked her who the father was, she started crying then she told me she'd been raped and she was scared what her father would do when he found out she'd gotten 'knocked up' out of wedlock. I reassured her I'd be there when she told him and wouldn't let him hurt her. That afternoon we sat on the couch in her living room waiting for her dad to come home from work. At least, directly from work he shouldn't be drunk and he wouldn't get as mad. Well, that plan backfired. Mel told him she was pregnant and he slapped her across the face. I stepped in at that moment but he turned and stomped upstairs. Not long after he'd gone, he came back down with a gun in his hand and aimed it at Mel's stomach…assumingly wanting to kill the baby, or Mel…or both." A single tear dripped down to Elliot's chin as he recalled the past events and he swiped at it before going on with his story.

"I didn't think…I just dove at her and we tumbled backward and ended up crashing through the front window. When we landed, I got up, picked her up and ran. I ran two streets before hiding between two houses. When I put her down, she was crying. She told me she was afraid because, even though we'd gotten away from him once, she was convinced he'd keep coming after her. He was a firm believer in that having a baby out of wedlock was a sin and that in his eyes she'd never be anything other than a sinner. So I did the only thing I could think of. I proposed to her. That way she'd be safe and her father couldn't complain since she'd be married before the baby was born. She agreed, hence me telling you she was my ex-fiancee. However, three weeks later her father died of a heart attack and we mutually agreed to call off our engagement since it was no longer a necessity. A few months later, I met Kathy and we got married the following year. Mel lost the child she was carrying; she had a miscarriage due to stress and life-long emotional trauma. That's what happened years ago and on top of all that now her kid gets kidnapped…I guess I just feel bad for her. She will always be one of my closest friends, Liv, she's like a sister to me, and although I _hate_ seeing anything like this happen to my loved ones, I shouldn't have treated you the way I did. I don't know what else to say…I'm sorry." Elliot stopped talking and took a breath, returning his focus to the woman in front of him and out of his memories. That's when he noticed that Olivia had been listening to him attentively and had also been crying. His first reaction was to take her in his arms and hold her, but not knowing how she'd react, he pulled his hand back and stood there dumbly, wondering what to do. A few minutes had gone by since he'd stopped talking but Olivia still hadn't said a word.

"Liv…" he started but it was Olivia's turn to cut him off.

"Elliot…" he caught his breath, waiting for her to continue. "Your ten minutes are up." She said and looked down solemnly into her lap. Elliot's mouth dropped open and he let out the breath he'd been holding like he'd been punched in the gut. He searched frantically for something to say, to keep talking in hopes that she'd keep listening but it was in vain. He saw teardrops fall from the tip of Olivia's nose and her chin; she was crying openly now, like she had no strength left to hide it.

Suddenly a flight attendant tapped Elliot on the shoulder and said, "Excuse me sir, but you'll have to take your seat, the plane will be leaving soon."

Elliot remembered he was on a plane that he had no right to be on and it was about to take off. "I don't have a seat." He replied.

"You mean you don't have a ticket?" He shook his head in response.

"Then I'm afraid you'll have to get off the plane." The flight attendant, a petite and perceptive woman in her mid-thirties, had seen the exchange between the two detectives and kindly didn't push Elliot to leave immediately.

Elliot looked down at Olivia, who by now was shaking uncontrollably. He didn't know what to do. He knew he couldn't stay but he didn't want to leave her either. He looked at her for some sign of what to do next, but she didn't dare look back at him. She'd made it pretty clear…she no longer wanted him in her life. He closed his eyes in defeat and turned toward the door he'd not so long ago rushed through with all the hope in the world. He was now facing a life without Olivia and that crushed him. He slowly, painfully started to walk back the way he'd come and noticed that many of the other passengers were staring at him pitifully. He hadn't realized that he'd had an audience. He heard hushed mumbling behind him, but didn't pay attention to it. He'd just poured his heart out to Olivia in front of dozens of people but he didn't care. His heart died when he told himself that everything regarding Olivia was a thing of the past now.

When he'd reached the door he turned back for one last look at the woman he loved and noticed that her facial expression had completely changed. It was one of resolution; one of satisfaction…almost happiness. Yes, she almost looked at peace…_at peace? How can she…?_ Elliot stared back in confusion until he saw she was looking directly at him.

"El, wait…!" The fear and anguish he was feeling suddenly melted away as her smile pierced through the tearful mask, instantly warming his heart again.

"Liv…" When Elliot saw her get up from her seat he quickly made his way back to her. They collided in a fierce hug, all the passion and anguish of the past day freeing itself from them. They held on to each other, not wanting to let the other one go; each squeezing tighter and re-gripping so as to get closer; if it was even possible. Elliot pushed his hand through Olivia's silky hair and held her head to his chest lovingly. Tears were running like open faucets down both faces and many of the passengers' too, Elliot remarked.

"Liv, I love you so much. I've loved you for the past five years."

At this, Olivia pulled back from his embrace but didn't totally break contact, and looked into his clear blue eyes. She didn't say anything for a long while. She seemed to be searching; trying to find something in his eyes that would tell her otherwise…the ever-so-slight bit of skepticism still present in her. Elliot knew what she was doing and he would let her search all she wanted. She wasn't going to find anything but love. Finally, something changed in the way she looked at him. The spark, the happiness, was shining through her eyes once again. A slow smile tugged at the corner of her mouth before spreading into its wide, beautiful form that Elliot knew so well. He beamed back at her and accepted her kiss when she planted her lips on his.

The kiss was tender and sweet. A little tentative at first, but the old confidence came back two-fold and they wrapped their arms around each other passionately as the kiss deepened. Olivia's heart constricted lovingly as he held her close and pushed his tongue into her mouth gently; wanting to taste her. She gladly allowed him entry and twirled her tongue around his slowly. She couldn't stop the moan that escaped her lips. This seemed to excite Elliot even more and his hand slid up her back into her hair. He felt her nails lightly scratch his back through his shirt and this made him release his own low moan. They both smiled against each other, taking the opportunity to replenish their air supply. That's when they were made aware of the cheering passengers. They had witnessed the whole thing. For them, it had been like a live taping of a day-time soap opera…but neither 'star' cared.

"I love you too, El." She whispered.

"I'm sorry but you _really_ need to get off the plane now or you'll delay the flight." A voice behind Olivia was heard. Elliot looked over Olivia's shoulder, smiled and nodded at the flight attendant who had been escorting him off the plane earlier. That's when he noticed someone else standing there. Someone who he recognized and who was also all tears and smiles.

"Alex?"

"Couldn't very well let her leave now could I?" Said the blond ADA.

'Thank you' he mouthed silently and grabbed the bag she was handing him. Olivia's travel bag. Olivia turned around and smiled at her friend; laughing when she noticed how the two were conspiring to get her off the plane… All three thanked the flight attendant for her patience and hurried off the aircraft and back to their awaiting lives.

**TBC…maybe…Please review to let me know if I should continue...and maybe some ideas would help.**


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